The Wedding
by SoMuchDepends
Summary: There were a lot of things Gilbert Blythe didn't want to happen. 1. He didn't want Anne Shirley to turn him down. 2. He didn't want to see her after that. 3. He didn't want to dance the best man & maid-of-honor dance with her at Fred and Diana's wedding. Funny how things work out, huh? Modern.
1. Chapter 1

"Couldn't something have come up?" Gilbert thought to himself as he fidgeted with the suspenders on his waistband.

Fred and Diana's wedding fell on the one weekend Gilbert actually had open.

"No exams eminent enough to seriously study for. No family engagements. They're all here! Not even any car trouble! That stupid Saturn is always broken, but not this stinking weekend! Oh, no, it had to be out of the shop by Wednesday, not Friday like the guy said."

Gilbert's mind raced with nervous ramblings as the seconds ticked by, and each second forced the inevitable upon Gilbert: he would have to see Anne.

Gilbert had been looking for ways to get out of the wedding since the night Anne turned him down. He knew he only had a few days before Fred would ask him to be his best man, and obviously, Anne would be Diana's maid-of-honor.

"No way, no way," Gilbert had told himself, "I just can't see her again. Not in a setting like that. Our families will be there, staring at us. The whole crazy town will show up and try to force us together. Oh, don't the best man and maid-of-honor have a dance together? Oh, gosh, they'll make us dance. I can't slow dance with Anne Shirley! And I'll have to walk her down the freakin' aisle! She'll be gorgeous, and I'll be a mess. Nope. Not happening. Something has to come up!"

But nothing did. Everything had been horribly fortuitous. Everything that could have prevented his attendance fell through. Or resolved itself. Or changed date. And Fred and Diana's wedding approached ever nearer.

When Fred asked Gilbert to be his best man, Gilbert started receiving information about the wedding in an obnoxious group text between himself, Fred, Diana, and Anne. The wedding was to be in the field at Green Gables, Anne's childhood home. He needed to meet Fred for the suit fitting at 3:00. The colors were yellow and green. The ceremony would start at 2:30. The bachelor's party would be up to him.

Every detail slowly cemented the certainty of the event. And still nothing came up. No emergencies whatsoever.

So now he was here. And Anne was here. And he was about to lose his mind.

As Gilbert fiddled with the antique cuff links on his wrist, he started to take deep breaths. He needed to calm down a tiny, little, gigantic bit.

"Come on, Gil. You are an adult. It's been months since she said no. It's just a couple of hours. The dance won't be that bad. Just take deep breaths. Deep like the ocean, deep like Charlie Sloan with couple beers in him at last night's bachelor's party," Gilbert coached himself into tranquility. "Everything is fine."

Then the girls' changing room door creaked open.


	2. Chapter 2

Gilbert had never been a very nervous person. He could give presentations in lecture halls without a sweat. After the nurse left the exam room, he could wait for the doctor and be completely at ease. And even as a broke college student, he could check his minuscule bank account without a trembling hand. Gilbert just knew how to control his nerves. With one exception.

Anne.

So as the ancient door hinges of Anne's childhood room squeaked open, Gilbert felt his nerves contract to the heavy pit at the bottom of his stomach.

"You look gorgeous, Di!" Anne's muffled voice floated down the hall to where Gilbert stood at the head of the staircase, and he steeled himself for the inevitable.

And it was inevitable.

Anne turned around the door, and her eyes connected with Gilbert's. Suddenly, Gilbert felt an uncontrollable urge to pitch himself down the stairs as soon as possible. Anything to get away from Anne. Anne in her soft green dress and her stupidly beautiful red hair and her lovely gray eyes. Those lovely gray eyes that were currently refusing to let go of his. And goodness knows, he couldn't let go himself.

"Hi, Gil," Anne said softly.

"Hey, Anne," Gil forced out.

Gilbert hoped the dim lights of the old farmhouse would obscure the faint flush he felt growing with every second Anne continued to stare at him. He knew there was something he was supposed to be doing, but Anne was making it difficult for his brain to function properly. Gilbert tried desperately to remember why he was here. It certainly wasn't to stare at Anne in this hallway.

"Hurry up, child, the music's starting and everyone is seated!" Marilla's voice called sternly up the stairwell. "It's 2:27!"

Of course, he was there for the wedding! Fred and Di's wedding. And he was the best man. And Anne was the maid-of-honor. And they were supposed to start the procession, not stare at each other in the hallway.

"Guess we better getting going," Anne giggled, as she skipped down the hallway toward him. "Can't be late. It would be very bad form, don't you think?"

Anne grabbed his hand and rushed him down the stairs, through the kitchen, and out on to Green Gables's back porch. Green Gables was not the first choice for the wedding, but as Diana and Fred realized how many guests would have to be invited—everyone in Avonlea expected an invitation— the large, beautiful field behind Green Gables became the clear choice. Of course, Anne and Diana, the primary wedding planners, were both extremely content with the situation, and Gilbert really had no opinion on the subject.

But now he suddenly did. As he and Anne stood on the back porch, he saw the massive crowd turn to watch them, and he knew what was coming, the gossip of Avonlea.

The music beckoned them forward, but before he could start the march, Anne turned to him, straightened his bow tie, and with a wink, said,

"Let's take a little walk, shall we?"

Linking her arm in the corner of his elbow, Anne faced the crowd and started to march forward, dragging a dumbfounded Gilbert.

The altar seemed to be a mile away to Gilbert, and he heard the whispers start as soon as he and Anne reached the last row. A collective murmur of appreciation arose from the crowd.

"How wonderful they look together."

"Did you hear what happened?"

"He asked her, and she…"

"What is his name? Ray?"

"But they are meant to be together!"

Gilbert felt his heart constrict and the coil in his stomach twist even tighter. He could feel the eyes of the whole town bear down on them. He really couldn't take much more.

"Oh, I did miss the gossip, didn't you, Gil?" Anne suddenly whispered to him.

"Definitely, nothing like it, especially Rachel Lynde's," Gilbert said with a slight smile, which Anne answered with a grin of her own.

Gilbert felt the coil unwind slightly, and finally, the pair arrived at the altar.

"How is she so calm and unaffected? It's like she doesn't even remember!" Gilbert thought to himself, but he didn't have much time to think.

He saw Anne's smile magnify, Fred stand up straighter and taller than ever, and the whole crowd rise.

And the wedding march began.


	3. Chapter 3

"You may now kiss the bride!"

Fred didn't need to be told twice, dipping Diana and kissing her quite thoroughly. Anne cupped her hands around her mouth and whooped, while Gilbert whistled like a construction worker at the pair; the audience followed suit, erupting in applause and cheers. When the newlyweds finally managed to separate, they turned to face the crowd triumphantly.

"We did it!" Diana shouted.

A second wave of congratulations rippled through the crowd.

"Everyone! Head to the reception around Green Gables in the front lawn! Take your chair with you unless you want to stand for a few hours!" Anne screamed across the restless crowd, her back bowed backwards. "There will be food and drinks and dancing! So get yourselves to the front so we can celebrate!"

Diana and Fred scurried down the aisle, and Gilbert felt Anne grab his arm as they ran towards the back porch.

"Oh, that was wonderful!" Anne sighed, turning towards Gilbert once they had entered the kitchen of Green Gables.

"It really was, wasn't it? Diana never looked so happy, and from what I could tell from the back of his head, Fred was alright with the situation," Gilbert replied, mockingly matching her enthusiasm.

She slapped him.

"Oh, Gil, you know Fred was ecstatic!"

"As he should be. Avonlea girls are something else," Gilbert said with an unconsciously pointed glance.

"Erm, yes, help me with these?" Anne deflected, pointing to a few boxes of extra cups.

"Shouldn't have said that," Gilbert thought, internally kicking himself.

Externally, he picked up two of the boxes and followed Anne to the front porch where the head table was.

"Anne and Di had done a fantastic job really," Gilbert thought to himself.

Green Gables's front lawn had been transformed into a flawless, DIY-rustic reception space. Mrs. Lynde had graciously donated several of the tables from her antique shop, while the two girl had scoured the neighbors' attics for the rest, resulting in a hodgepodge of mismatched tables. A sizable, empty space had been left in front of porch as a makeshift dance floor, and Gilbert felt his stomach touch his feet when he remembered his upcoming dance with Anne. The trees and porch railings had been wrapped with hundreds of stringed light bulbs, and sunflowers covered every spare surface. The falling sun emphasized every bit of the reception's beautiful planning, and Gilbert's faced must have shown some admiration because suddenly Anne spoke.

"Yeah…. We spent a lot of time on Pinterest."

Gilbert laughed and Anne's eyes shone and order was precariously restored.

"Let us take these boxes to their proper positions," Anne sniffed with her eyelids dropped and her nose upturned.

"Indubitably," answered Gil.

The two primly walked to the drink stations and shoved the extra cups under the gingham table covers. Gilbert was thankful for Anne's silliness; keeping the lightest possible mood would keep him from making a further idiot of himself. He and Anne marched together back to the head table where Diana and Fred were already seated.

And so the reception began.

* * *

><p>After the dinner and speeches were over, Fred led Diana out to the clearing for their first dance as married couple. As the slow, charming music wafted over the scene, Gilbert turned to look at Anne. Legs folded under her and heels peeking from under the tablecloth, Anne leaned forward in her chair, cradling her head in her hands. Profiled by the dim candlelight and low wattage lightbulbs, her bittersweet smile drew Gilbert in. He knew things would never be the same between Diana and Anne, and he knew she knew that, even if she tried desperately to hide this truth. But now was not the time to ponder such things.<p>

Gilbert stood. It was time.

"Anne?" Gilbert whispered. "You ready?"

Smiling softly, Anne took Gilbert's hand and stood. And fell right back down.

"Sorry, I was sitting on the legs. The legs have betrayed me," Anne joked.

"Excuses, excuses," Gilbert winked then yanked the girl upward and around the table.

Anne and Gilbert reached the floor, positioned themselves next to the married couple, and began to sway as rhythmically as their discomfort would allow.

"Well, here it is," Gilbert thought.

He was slow dancing with Anne Shirley at the wedding, and in three short minutes, he could cross off the last item on his "Weekend Anxiety" list.


	4. Chapter 4

It was not the first time Gilbert Blythe had slow danced with Anne Shirley. Back in better days, Gilbert had gone to every event as her date, and he had danced with her as slowly as one could dance. But now things weren't the same.

The miles of tension and baggage between the two were now squished to a few centimeters as they swayed closely together. And Gilbert wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Pairing together, the wedding guests joined the quiet, gentle dance, reveling in the cool twilight of April.

"So, how's Christine?" Anne's voice shattered Gilbert's thoughts.

"Christine? Oh, yes, she's fine. Her recital is coming up in a few weeks so she's been practicing constantly. I've hardly seen her actually," Gilbert spouted out.

"Oh, yes, I heard about her recital. I was planning on coming, actually!" Anne replied. "We're very excited… Roy and I, that is…"

Anne's allusions to Christine and Roy shattered the unspoken truce between the two old friends and effectively broke Gilbert's composure. The months—the years, really—of built-up frustration and longing began to flood his heart and mind.

"Oh, well, that's awesome. So awesome. Really, Anne," Gilbert tersely laughed. "How is Roy, by the way? Is he good? I hope he's good!"

"Gilbert Blythe! What is your problem?" Anne whispered, glaring up into Gilbert's hazel eyes. "Be civil. This is not the place."

Plastering a smile on her face, Anne quickly surveyed the couples surrounding them. None seemed to have noticed Gilbert's mini-explosion. But her eyes caught on Marilla, who was staring quite intently at the couple. Leaning against the chipped, white-washed railings of the porch, Marilla had been watching her daughter since the dance began. A wise woman, Marilla had picked up on the body language of Avonlea's favorite couple (excluding Fred and Di, obviously), and she had hoped to catch Anne's eyes. As Anne's furrowed brow questioned her mother's meaningful glance, Marilla tossed her head towards Lover's Lane, which sat on the right side of Green Gables. Judging by Anne's rigid smile and Gilbert's clenching of Anne's waist, Marilla knew the dam was about to burst.

Gilbert had not missed this exchange, following Anne's eyes as she scanned the crowd and silently communicated with her mother. Both Anne and he were grateful for Marilla in that moment. Things couldn't go on like this any longer, but things couldn't erupt here.

"This is not the place," Anne repeated, grabbing Gilbert's upper arm and weaving through the other dancers.

Leaving the reception's bouncing light and soft music, the disgruntled pair turned the corner of Green Gables and headed towards the flowering trees of Lover's Lane.

Trudging behind Anne, Gilbert felt his anger dissipate. Anne's fair skin, flowing green dress, and bare feet looked so at ease in the newly-returned nature of spring. Sidetracked by this aesthetic picture, Gilbert's tension evaporated until the two entered the thick of the Lane. When Anne whipped around, her eyes sparking, Gilbert felt his anger bristle once more.

"You are," Anne began.

"Anne Shirley!" Gilbert cut in.

The tension twisted as the two faced each other in the midst of the Lane's cloudy beauty, and then the coil snapped.

For the millionth time, Gilbert wished something had come up.


	5. Chapter 5

The reception's ghostly, lilting music lingered in the corners of Lover's Lane as the best man and the maid-of-honor stood rigidly at odds with one another.

"You are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most selfish person I have ever known, Gilbert Blythe! This is Di's wedding, and you can't even make it through one dance without having an outburst. We don't even have to do this, you know? You could just grow up and give it up, Gil!" Anne spat out. "You are—"

"Don't even pretend like you thought that whatever this is," Gilbert motioned to the charged space between them, "was going to be just like old times, Anne. I asked you to marry me. You turned me down. Things cannot be the same! But this whole day, you've been prancing around, touching my arm, winking at me, making jokes, straightening my tie. Maybe in whatever world your infernal imagination conjured up, all that's okay. Maybe we're still friends in that world. But in reality, ever heard of that, Anne? In reality, I bought you a ring, and you practically threw it back at me! We haven't talked in two years, Anne!"

"Exactly, Gil! It's been two years! Man up! I know I turned you down, Gil. Believe it or not, I was there too, and you weren't the only one who got burned in that situation, okay? But I moved on. You were my best friend, but I moved on. And I'm very happy with where I am right now, Gil, and—"

"Really? Are you just so happy, Anne? That's just so great. I hope Roy makes you just so freakin' happy. Do you want to tell me again? Just how happy that imbecile makes you?"

"He does make me happy, Gil! For a start, he doesn't interrupt me every two seconds!" Anne bit out, turning away with a clear intention to return to the party.

Sensing Anne's impulse, Gilbert ran in front of her, effectively cutting off her path. The music from the reception grew louder, changing from a quiet waltz to a raucous folk dance.

"Um, yeah, I don't think we're done here," Gilbert deadpanned, his arms spread out as Anne tried to slip past him.

"Who do you think you are to tell me that we aren't done here? Definitely not my husband, huh, Gil?" Anne whispered, pronouncing every syllable clearly and unmistakably. Having known Gilbert for years, she knew exactly where to strike; his eyes flashed, and his jaw tightened, and Anne knew she was treading on precarious ground.

"Anne, now really, who needs to grow up, you or I?" Gilbert said, dangerously quiet. "I think you need to—"

"I don't need to do anything besides go back to the reception and be thrilled for Di," Anne said evenly. "If you can't do the same for Fred, maybe you should make your apologies and leave. This is their wedding, Gil. It is not the time for you to pick old bones with me, okay?"

"When is the time then, Anne? I haven't talked, really talked, to you for two years! When is this conversation supposed to happen? At your wedding? I doubt that's the right time, but it's probably the only time I'll see you next, if you deign to invite me."

"Gil, that's not fair! You didn't want to see me after the... proposal. I was giving you space!" Anne shouted, her calm logic shattered.

"Giving me space? Was it not me? Was it you, Anne? Were we too young? Did you not want to be tied down?" Gilbert ground out. "Have any other clichés you want to throw in there, Anne?"

Gilbert's words hung in the clear, spring night, and once again, the music from the reception slowed to a romantic waltz. Shaking her head, Anne dropped her defiant gaze down to her bare feet.

"Gil…"

"Are you really happy with Roy, Anne?" Gilbert asked, his voice clouded with strained control. "Are you really in love with him?"

Anne's eyes remained downcast for a few seconds more than, perhaps, a woman-in-love's should; Gilbert did not fail to seize upon that glimmer of hope.

"I…Yes, I am." Anne spoke, her eyes shallow, but locked with his.

"Okay, then," Gilbert said.

For a few minutes, the two stood, Gilbert blocking Anne's way, and Anne still in Gil's after all these years.

"I should go," Gilbert started. "I can't, Anne…. You know."

The music had nearly died, and the sounds of ignitions and farewells started to echo down the Lane. Gilbert turned to leave, ready to put this horrific weekend behind him.

"Gil?"

Gilbert turned. With her feet planted courageously in the dewy grass, Anne stood like a organic piece of the Lane itself. Gilbert caught his breath as the breeze ruffled her gorgeous hair.

"Gil, I… I hope you have a safe ride back," Anne finished, slightly deflated.

"You too, Anne."

And Gilbert left the Lane and Anne behind.

* * *

><p>Gilbert did not see Anne again after the wedding, at least not in person. However, his mind raced with memories, ones that made him shamefully flush and ones that made him wonder.<p>

Her pauses. Her glances. Her winks. Her smiles. Her touches. Her strange, stilted wish for his safe ride back.

Perhaps she wasn't as happy as she said. Perhaps she wasn't as in love as she said. Perhaps his sparks of hope were more than the mirages of a wandering man.

For all that and for the first time, Gilbert was glad nothing had come up.

The End


End file.
